Government has put on hold the visit of a senior External Affairs Ministry official to Norway in connection with the child custody case amid reports that there were differences between the parents.
"Government has tried its best to bring the children home so that they have a future in the country. But a new situation has developed.... we cannot interfere. The visit of a Joint Secretary (to Norway) has been postponed," Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur told reporters outside Parliament House.
She said the government will look into the situation before taking the next step. Anurup Bhattacharya, father of the two children -- Abhigyan (3) and Aishwarya (1)- has reportedly filed for legal separation from his wife Sagarika. He has alleged that he was being repeatedly beaten by his wife.
The children are in the care of Norway's Child Welfare Services. Two MEA officials were scheduled to hear the custody hearing of the children on March 23 in Stavanger.